The
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center of the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) is part of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA is one of the scientific
research arms of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The laboratory
administers programs that support the domestic and international
conservation and management of living marine resources.
A staff of over 160 is employed by the Science Center. In addition,
the NOAA Corps operates the ship Oscar Elton Sette in support of
Science Center fishery and protected species research.
Work at the Science Center is focused in three areas: fisheries and
coral reef research and protected species research and recovery. The
laboratory conducts biological, ecological, and economic research in
support of five fishery management plans, which include pelagic,
crustacean, bottomfish, coral reef and precious coral. The science
center also conducts fisheries oceanographic research from a marine
ecosystem standpoint. Our research and analysis of the resulting
fisheries data support fisheries policy and management. Our protected
species efforts examine the status and problems affecting the
populations of the Hawaiian monk seal and the green sea turtle and
makes recommendations for their recovery.
The Science Center is organized into five research divisions:
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Fish
Biology and Stock Assessment Division, Ecosystems
and Oceanography Division, Fishery Monitoring and
Socio-economics Division, and Protected Species
Division. The Director's Office,
Administration Services,
Information and Technical Services, and Operations
Management and Information Division, support these research
investigations. In addition, the regional
CoastWatch Site and the
Kewalo Research Facility are also
responsibilities of the Science Center.
The Science Center shares facilities and conducts cooperative studies
with a variety of federal and state agencies, universities and private
organizations. The overall goal of the Western
Pacific Fisheries Information Network (WPacFIN) is to provide
fisheries data and information to island governments, NMFS, and the
Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council to assist in
the management of resources and fisheries for the western Pacific
region.
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Goals
Provide scientific information and advice for the following:
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Management of domestic fisheries in the U.S. Exclusive Economic
Zones (EEZ) in the central and western Pacific.
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Support of U.S. interests in the international management of Pacific
HMS.
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Recovery and management of the highly endangered Hawaiian monk seal
and protected Pacific sea turtles and assessment and mitigation of
seabird mortality resulting from fisheries interactions.
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